Mahon (Menorca, Spain)

Menorca's capital town, Mahon, is an unavoidable port of call for visitors arriving on the island, and most head for the string of restaurants and cafes that line the harbour frontage.

The town itself is sedate and conservative, featuring classic Georgian townhouses (bearing testimony to the British occupation of bygone days) and tall apartment blocks. The town does have some attractions for those interested in making more of their holiday than dashing off to the beach.

The mansion house, Golden Farm, overlooks the harbour and was once occupied by Admiral Lord Nelson. Also on the sightseeing list is the Xoriguer Gin Distillery where famed Minorcan gin is produced in an age-old process, and the celebrated huge organ (with more than 3,000 pipes) in the church Esglesia de Santa Maria la Major.

The Swiss-made organ was brought to Mahon during the Napoleonic wars and is used during an annual music festival in July and August.

The resort is an ideal town base for shoppers and sightseers with public-transport links to many of the outlying beaches and places of interest. A practical alternative for those who prefer the town to the beach. There are several small hotels and a couple of quality choices, most of the visitors opt for the nearby resorts or the suburb of Es Castel.

Locality:

Mahon is found midway along ast side of the island (3 mls NW of Es Castell, 2 mls NE of airport). It is found on the south side of 3-mile-long deep-water inlet, one of largest natural harbours in world.